Set Ablaze
by kcmyers
Summary: Gale in katniss situation, full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

In Cathing Fire, by Suzzane Collins, Katniss makes an observation that is the inspiration for this story. Right after Gale is whipped, she imagines what it would be like if she and Gale, were to switch places. _**"For the first time, I reverse our positions in my head. I imagime Gale volenteering to save Rory in the reaping, having him torn from my life, becomming some strange girl`s lover to stay alive, and then comming home with her. Living next to her. Promising to marry her."By Suzzane Collins!**_

So, I have created a story from this one thought. gale`s pov!

REAPING DAY!

I told Katniss to wear somting pretty, but she obviously did not follow my instruction. She is beutiful in every way right now and if we weren`t right here, right now, I would proabably be grinning and making my way over to her. But, unfortunatly, I am here and I am now, so I have to watch some poor kid get the death sentance for a crime that they didn`t commit.

"Ladies First!" trills Effie Trinket, The escort for District 12 . I mentaly will Effie not to draw a name, not to kill two kids this year. Haymitch, though, lacks the mental capacity to will her telapathicly( this is do to the fact that he is drunker than a skunk) so insted of mentaly willing her not to pull a name, he phisacly restrains her with a bear hug. She finally gets him to let go of her and barely gives me any time to prepare myself before she draws the girls` name. In those few seconds that I have to prepare myself that my hunting partner, the only girl that can make me smile, the love of my life, Katniss, could be drawn to become a tribute in this year`s games, I pray for her safety. _Lord, Please not her!_

"Chisaki Rowntree!" Effie calls. Then it hits me, I know this girl. She is in my class at school, but she is somthing more. She saved my life. When my father died, I had to take his place as the main provider of the house. Those shoes were too big for me to fill alone, so my mother started washing the more well-off part of the district`s laundry. Though a help in my efforts to keep our family alive, it was not significant enough to keep me from having to hunt _and_ scavage for food. She was working at her parents` bakery and "accidentaly" burnt some bread. Her father yelled at her and smacked her for it. He was angry and he sent her out to throw it in the garbage can. She did and I took it home to share the life-sustaining-spoils with the rest of my family. I was thrilled to have it and we made the two loaves of bread last a week. In that time, I was able to gather enough food for the next week. And so, when spring came, I was able to provide more easily for my family and thus, we have survived. I feel awful for her fate. I want her to know how much her poor-baking- skills mean to me. But I know that I shouldn`t take family`s last moments from them. I should remain passive and mute about her saving our lives so that, in the time she needs them most, her family can be there to comfort and guide her. Now more than ever, I want to slap her father in the face. He slaps her in the face much too much for my liking and he should know how it feels before she dies. I barely notice Effie draw the name of the poor boy from our district that will fight to his death in this year`s hunger games. My brother, as it turns out.

"Rory Hawthorn!" Effie squeals in exitement. Ha! Exitement! Can you belive how sick-minded these people are? They _enjoy _watching children die! Wait a second, did she just call my brother`s name? Before you know it, I had to volenteer to be a tribute in the 74th Hunger Games. Well, I suppose that I didn`t have to. But it was either that, or watch my little brother die on national telvision. I think that volenterring was my best choice between the two.

" I volenteer! Don`t take him, take me insted! "I yell, runing to the stage, most likely to my death. Rory flings his body against my leg to try to keep me from leaving him. I am tring desperatly to get Rory to let go of my leg. I am strong enough to walk with him on it, but do I really want him that close to these discusting people? No way! Lucky for me, Catnip snaps out of her daze and sprints to where my brother and I are. She peels him off of me and he fights her with everything he has. He kicks her and smacks her, he even resorts to biting her, but she refuses to let go of him. She picks him up and carries him to my mother.

"I`d bet my buttons that was your brother!" Effie Trinket says matter-of-factly. She disusts me so. "Can`t have him stealing the glory now can we?" She exclaimed. Oh, how sick she makes me.


	2. goodbyes

Goodbyes:

I am forced to shake hands with Chisaki Rowntree before going to say my final goodbyes to my family. I do and then some old friends from the hob escort me to a special room in the justice building to say my "final" goodbyes to my family and friends. As I enter the room, my little sister, Posy bursts into tears.

" Gale! You can`t go! You have to stay here! With me!" she cries. She is breaking my heart with her tears, so I sit down in a plush chair and pull her onto my lap. I hold her close as I can and comfort her as best I can. How I love this sweet little bundle in my lap. I know right then, that I must return to her no matter what. She needs me to comfort her, to feed her, to see her off throught her life, to fill the role of a father because the capitol took her real father from her before she even entered this world. They took my father from me and left me with all of this mess to deal with, and I was only Rory`s age. They gave me no choice but to sentance myself to near- ceartain death and leave them to fend for themselves. No, they will not fend for themselves. Katniss will never stop providing for them. She will watch over them. She will feed them and she will see them through their lives if I am not able to.

"Rory! Listen to me closely! You are the man of the house until I get back. You listen to Katniss and Mom. Katinss will teach you about the woods. You keep everyone in school. No teressae! If your falling on hard times, don`t hide it from Katniss, she can help you. Always... always know that I love you more than anything in this world. None of this was your fault. You don`t ever dare think that! If you do, Posy`ll tell me and I`ll discipline you when I get back. Trust your instincts, survive. I`ll be back as soon as I can. I love you." I am struggling not to cry at the thought of leaving them alone. But , no, they will not be alone. They will be with Katniss. Katniss will take care of them. I say my final goodbyes to each of them and then we sit for a good ten minutes more before some old friends from the hob calmly walk my family out, consoling them as they go. Katniss runs in the room.

"Oh, Gale!" and I begin to realize just what I mean to her, as I pull emotions out of her that physical pain has trouble pulling out of her. The strongest girl I know is crying on_ my _shoulder. She loves me and I love her. She wants me to come back, I realize with a jolt.

" It`s alright, Catnip." I console her.

"Promise me, Gale, promise me you`ll come back." she begs me. I hate the capitol for doing this to her. They forced me to leave her behind for their own sick entertainment. I want so badly to promise this to her, but I can`t until I make sure of a few things.

"First you have to promise me some things. " I start simply.

"Anything ,Gale. Just come back!"

" You need to promise me that you`ll be strong, for me."

"I promise, Gale."

" You need to promise me that you`ll keep both of our families fed."

"You know that I will ,Gale! I swear!"

"Ah! Catnip! Don`t swear at me!" She laughs. How I love that sound! " Katniss, please teach Rory to hunt."

"I will, but he`ll never come to our place. Not even before you come back."

"Good enough for me. Now, promise me that you`ll take care of yourself."

"What?"

"You heard me! When I`m not there to take care of you... watch out. Check to see if the fence is charged. Don`t fist fight in school. Don`t go out alone after dark..."

"I promise, Gale." She is grinning at me widely.

"Promise that you`ll take care of Posy? Rory? Vick? My mom?"

"Yes Gale."

"Then I promise that I`ll come back." I pinky swear it to her. She cries on my shoulder. I ask her why she is crying. I tell her that we don`t need to cry because I swore to her that I`d be back. I pinky swore and I refuse to break my pinky swear.

"You promise that they won`t change you, Gale?"

"They couldn`t if they tried!"

"Alright, Gale. The hard part will be being separated for a couple of months..."

"We can handal it!" Just then, Darius comes in to take Katniss out.

" I love you Katniss!" Darius looks at me knowingly and doesn`t take her out until I`ve hugged her. I don`t dare kiss her with Darius right there. I give him a threatening glance over her shoulder. He gets what it means and doesnn`t lay a hand on her as he walks her out.

R&R!


	3. blind rage

Ablaze chapter 3

I am put into a train. Okay, maybe `put` is too nice a word for it. A couple of peacekeepers just carried me into a train car while I was deliberately being difficult. By difficult, I mean kicking ,screaming and blindly punching. I fought them all the way. It took about five fully grown men to haul me away from district 12, from home. From my family! From... Katniss. I run to the closest window and watch my home disappear from my view. I here a sigh beside me. I am shocked to see Chisaki standing extremely close to me. She looks up at my intake of breath and seems just as startled as I am at our closeness. This is very awkward. We both know it, too.

"So, uh..." I start awkwardly. Luckily, our drunken mentor stumbles into the room.

" How`s the puddin` ?" With that, he pukes and slumps into a mixture of unconsciousness and vomit. This is completely revolting, but I refuse to let any man lie in his own vomit all night. I decide to do something about it. I pick up one arm.

"Help me out here?" I ask my district partner. She nods and picks up his other arm. We carry him to his room and dump him in his bathtub. I clearly dismiss her. I wash off some of the vomit around his face. I strip off his over clothes and leave his under clothes on him as I wash off grime and puke. I look around in his closet for some comfortable clothes for him and come up with a pair of black sweat pants and a red t-shirt. I dress him and get him into his bed. I put a glass of water on his bed stand and leave to wash up. I make my way to my room and open the door. I am disgusted at the beauty of the room. Why is it so pretty? Why am I disgusted? They watch us die, they enjoy watching us die! They make our rooms as pretty as possible to remind us that our lives are never going to return to normal. Come back or not, we will never fully return. A small part of every person dies when they go into that arena, 23 of us die completely. I, though, will not die completely, as I have promised Katniss that I will come home alive. I promised her that I would not let them change me. And they won`t.

I wash up in the sink in my bathroom. I enter my closet and find a pair of old jeans. At least they are _made_to look old. I find myself a t-shirt and throw the clothes on. I look like myself now, and not that dressed up boy my mother forces out every reaping day. I am satisfied and walk out of my room. Effie Trinket smiles at me and tells me that I must promptly report to the dinning car for supper. I do, and realize that Haymitch still hasn`t woken up. I look at the table, full of wondrous foods. I`m not sure what to try first. Chisaki is obviously in the same shock. Effie laughs.

"What`s going on, children?" she asks us.

"Well of course you wouldn`t know because you`ve always had enough to eat! You`ve never had your name in a reaping ball! You`ve never had to watch as your family starved to death! You have never, never had to worry about how your family will eat without you there to provide for them! You didn`t have your father killed in a mining accident because the capitol worked him like a dog his whole life! You weren`t just sentenced to death for a crime you didn`t commit! You`ve never had to endure the cruelty of your people! You`ve never had to survive! " I am spitting harsh words at Effie. I do mean them, but I am not quite sure if she is the one that I should be screaming at. I am not sure if I am misplacing my anger. In a blind rage I am unable to see sense. I guess that that`s why it`s called a blind rage.

"Gale..." Effie tries to calm me. I only get more angry. Only Katniss can pull me out of these. She has no right to try and take Katniss` place. She is the very one who put me into this mess and took me from Katniss. She deserves to be yelled at. She does not deserve to get the same result as Catnip gets out of me. She is the one who took so many kids to their death sentence for somthing that they did not do. I hate her. Why does she try? Chisaki knows what she is doing.

"Effie, let him be. Your making his mood worse with your ignorance. It is best to let this pass and then apologize to him." She has this down to a science. She`s not Katniss, but I`m grateful for her help anyway.

"You two! No manners! Me? Apologize? To him ? For what?" Effie screaches at Chisaki. I`m fed up with her crap.

"Shut it Effie! Your to dim to get it. Your never going to understand! Just give up already! Don`t speak to her like that, either! She is the sensible one here, not you!" With that, I stand and storm back to my room. I slam my door so hard that it cracks. I start throwing things against the wall until they break. I want to murder Effie right now. The only thought keeping me from doing it is that I promised Katniss I`d come back and I don`t want to be executed for murder.


	4. tickle fight!

I hear a quiet knock on my door.

" What?" I yell at whoever is knocking at my door. I`m still mad about dinner. I`m really mad about dinner. Effie is so ignorant she`s about to make me puke.

" Gale? Are you okay?" says a small voice. Chisaki. What does she want?

" Fine, how are you?" It is my firmest and most emotionless response. I can`t let my emotions through right now because I`d kill anyone in the same room as me. Lucky for everyone, no one is in the room with me.

" Uhh, ok I guess..." Chisaki trails off. She seems shocked at my harshness. I immediately feel bad for treating this girl so meanly. Effie, she deserves it. Chisaki is going through the same pain I am. She was taken away from home to be slaughtered, too. She didn`t ask for this either. Well, I guess that I did ask for it. I asked not to watch my brother die while I sit at home helpless. Yes, I asked for this she did not. I open my door gingerly and force a smile.

" Come in," I invite her. She follows in the direction that I`d gestured her." So, what`s up?" I ask her gently.

"I wanted to talk to you about supper..." She starts in an awkward tone.

" Yeah?" My voice has become defensive without my permission. The hurt is evident on her face. I mentally kick myself and control my voice more viciously.

" You should at least try to be nice to Effie," she tells me quietly.

" Why is that?" I snap. I bite my tongue so hard that I taste blood. That hurt a little bit but I refuse to show it. My facial expression stays the same as it has for our entire conversation. Unlike my voice, I can trust my expression not to betray me in my fight to stay hard and unemotional.

" We are all born into a world of our own. No matter what we`d like to say, that is going to be our world for most of our lives. Some people can be exceptions. Like you and I for instance, we were changed forever yesterday. Not only our lives were taken from us, but also our lifestyles. Effie was born and taught the Capitol`s ways. No matter how much she wants to, she`ll never be able to be like us because she wasn`t raised like us. She doesn`t understand, she never will. Your outburst back there only confused and hurt her, it didn`t prove your point. It did nothing for our ccause! Why yell at her if she doesn`t understand?" She started out quiet but soon began raising her voice. Wow, this is new. Chisaki is a really quiet kid, not this girl standing before me. Or at least that`s what I`d thought. She makes a good point.

"I`m sorry. You`re right. I shouldn`t have yelled at her like that. It`s not her fault she`s a total pinhead." I mumble. I shoot her a grin as I call Effie a pinhead. Well, she is! She slaps my arm playfully with a trace of a smile in her eyes. She tries to give me a scolding look, but she`s barely retaining that smile. Soon, she can`t fight it anymore. A huge grin crosses her rosy cheeks. I can`t suppress a laugh any longer. I let it out with a flourish.

"What are you laughing at?" She demands with a giggle.

"You, of course!" I roll around on the floor. She grins evilly and jumps on top of me. She pins my arms beside my head.

"So, feelin` lucky?" I joke as we play fight.

"A little," she slips out mysteriously. I tickle her until she can`t breathe. She finally falls onto the floor beside me, laughing uncontrollably. As I tickle her, she twitches around. She`s trying to fend off my hands. She`s doing a fine job of it, too. She`s on the girl`s wrestling team.

"Mercy!" she cries out. I, of course, stop tickling her. She takes this oportunity to tackle me. She sits on my stomach.

"Ha! Take tha-" she is cut off by Effie entering the room.

" What! Do either of you care to explain this?" Effie screams. I shrug.

"No, not really."

"Uhh, we were having a tickle fight?" Chisaki tries.

" Try to be more discreet next time." Effie huffs, leaving the room quickly.

" I should go."

"See ya later" I really did enjoy that play fight. I decide to shower and get to bed. I take off my sweaty shirt and jog to the closet. Then I realize that Chisaki is back.

" Forgot my shoes" she states and runs out of the room. She was beet red. Why on earth would she be embarrased? Oh, yeah, I wasn`t wearing a shirt. Now my district partner knew what I looked like half naked. Oh well.

_**R&R!**_


	5. breakfast

Once school starts, I`ll try to update more regularly. Thanks to all of my faithful reviewers and even those of you who don`t review, for sticking with my story. Without further adu, chapter five!

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" It`s gonna be a big, big, big day!" Effie screeches, banging on my door. Geeze, I think. Either that door`s really flimsy, or Effie`s not as much of a weakling as she seems to be. I get up and throw on a black muscle shirt and a pair of ripped up jeans. I don`t care to look nice for the people of the Capitol, so I roughly comb my dark hair back with my fingers and don`t bother with anything else. I stumble out the door to my room. I walk to the dining car to find Effie, Haymich and Chisaki already eating. The polished oak table that they surround is adorned with a feast of assorted dishes. Against my will, my mouth waters at the very sight of the feast. I realize that after storming out during dinner yesterday, I am quite hungry. I`ve been much hungrier, of course, I could actually go without breakfast today if I had to and still be very comfortable. However, I do need to put on a little weight before I get to the arena and even a little bit of the bounty before me would help. I decide to give in to my stomach and sit at my place. Then I notice something intriguing.

" What`s that? " I ask to no one in particular, nodding towards a steaming pot filled with a sweet-smelling, brown liquid. Chisaki shoots me a toothy grin.

" Hot chocolate! Mmmmmmm! It`s really good. Try some,Gale! " I am shocked at her use of my name. She said my name. So many people have been calling me so many things, I almost forgot how it sounded. I like it. Her saying my name. It reminds me of Katniss. Of my favorite girl in the world, calling me by who I am and not as the Capitol people will refer to what they create of me while I`m in their possessions. When I go back to Katniss, no matter if I come back in a crate or in the form of a Capitol monster, she will bring me back to being myself by saying that same name. My name. I don`t think that I`ve ever been so appreciative of what my name means to my spirit. Gale means "happy or cheerful" but I`m only happy when Katniss calls me by it. She says it like... like only Katniss can. All of this flashes through my mind in an instant.

" I`d love to." I state as she passes the pot to me. I fill my glass and take a gulp.

"You like it?" Chisaki shrieks with delight. I nod fiercely in return. I love this "hot chocolate" stuff. We continue our meal in an eerie silence. All that you can hear is the rattle of silverware and the chewing and swallowing of food. Until of course, I dare to break the silence.

"Hey, Haymitch?"

"Yeah, kid? What do you want?" He replies gruffly. I`m angry at his insincerity after we saw to it that he slept in his bed instead of his vomit last night.

"You are our mentor, so tell us what you expect of us. What should we do..." I am cut off by his cold laughter. This makes me more angry. I don`t know how long I can hold this in. He takes a flask of strong liquor from the inside of his jacket and takes a swig. That`s it! I swipe the flask from his clammy fingers. It`s not hard since he has a hangover and has very slow reflexes as a result. He has to think for a moment before hitting me in the eye. Okay ,now I`ve given up on being gentle and persuasive. Now, I`m overly angry and only following what instruction my anger gives me. I take my knife and pin his napkin to the table, between his grins a mischievous grin and tackles the slow old man. He hits her, too. He has no right! I smash the flask and his nose together. Then, I crush the cold metal against the table. Chisaki doesn`t stop pounding him.

"Manners! Stop this now ! Manners people, manners!" Effie shrieks. Chisaki stand and looks down on her handy work. I take her place on our mentor`s stomach and hit him hard. I take out all of my hatred from the last few days on his face. She looks thoughtfully at us.

" Gale, it`s okay. Calm down. You can stop now. He`s hurt ,Gale. Gale you can stop." Chisaki urges me gently. I stand and walk over to her. Her sudden gentle nature takes me by surprise. I never pay any girl other than Katniss any mind. Katniss has her gentle side, too. She hides it from most of the world, but trust me, it`s there. She doesn`t show it often, not even to me. Yet, my district partner`s words remind me solely of her. Chisaki gives me comfort in the sense that she reminds me of the only person I`ve ever trusted... or loved. Well, yes, I love my family. That`s not what I mean here.

" See? It wasn`t very polite to make this proud old drunk cry! " cries Effie. Then I notice the convulsion of his ribs. I expect to hear a sob, but instead, I find him writhing with laughter.

" Yes! Finally! Do I actually have a pair of fighters this year?" He grins widely. He stands and removes the knife from it`s position where I`d pinned his napkin to the table with it. He wipes off his bloody nose and holds it to a gash on his forehead. He swipes Effie`s napkin and fills it with ice from his glass.

" Impressive, both of you." Chisaki frowns and touches her eye. She grabs some ice to put on it but Haymitch stops her. I`m starting to get angry when he explains his reasoning. He tells us that it was impressive to the sponsors to not get caught in a fight and that the bruise would show that she`d been in a fight. She understands and lets the moment pass. As a result, so do I.

" Can you hit anything with that knife, boy?"

" I`m better with snares and a bow. I could live with a knife if I have to though..."

" Good, cause you just might have to. Lets make a deal. I won`t get drunk as a skunk when you need me if you two`ll let me drink. But if you don`t do everything I say, the deal`s off."

" Deal enough for me! What _do_ you want us to do?" I ask, annoyed that he won`t give up alcohol completely. Not even with our lives on the line! He struggles to think through the fog of liquor clouding his mind.

" We`ll be pulling into the Capitol soon. We have to hand you over to your stylists. Don`t fight them. Trust me, you`ll hate them when they`re done with you. But don`t fight them." I immediately start to argue. He interrupts my objections.

" You want me drunk?" We all shake our heads, Effie included." Didn`t think so, do as I said. Do it and don`t argue. Every time you do, I get a drink. Get out of my sight. Now!"

" Haymich, I`d like to inform you that blackmail is impolite." Says Effie.

"Gee, thanks. Nice to know, Effie." Haymich spits sarcastically.

" Your tone was also impolite." She informs him, politely. Of course, politely, this is Effie we`re talking about.

" Shut up, Effie." He grumbles. She gasped and ran away crying. Chisaki followed her out. I doubt that her efforts to console Effie will do any good. I almost laughed. Effie`s so quirky. I guess she`s not all that monstrous, she`s just screwed up. Maybe I can cure her insanity. Most likely not.

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_**At the same time in the next train car over...**_

Effie Trinket sat in a chair curled in a fetal position. The pretty young girl that she was responsible for stroked her wig gently. The girl`s rosy cheeks were stained with her escort`s tears. The girl didn`t mind it though.

" I`m sorry, sweetheart. I know how impolite I`m being. I ... I just..."

" No need to explain, Effie. I completely understand. "

" Thank you for understanding my... state. That is very polite of you. It`s just that I really like Haymich and when he treats me hostilely, like he doesn`t care in the least bit when I care for him so much... He doesn`t even return a fraction of what I feel for him. I feel so stupid and awkward." The girl doesn`t state her opinion because it`s hurtful to tell someone that they actually _are_stupid and awkward. So instead she tells a story about the boy only one train car over who is completely oblivious to the fact that she is deeply in love with him. She tells her escort that he was starving and that she burnt bread for him because she couldn`t stand to see him suffer. Even though it meant her own suffering in the form of a beating from her father, she didn`t care because he had food for one more night. Effie Trinket realized right then and there that this girl was not a monster, like the Capitol said that all district citizens were. She realized that this girl was a selfless person who was in love with an ill-mannered boy. Could it be that she had been wrong all these years? Could it be that people in the districts were just that, people?

"I have an idea! You love Gale, right?" Effie squealed.

" Of course I do!" the girl replied, bewildered.

" If the Capitol people see you two as people in love, then they won`t see you as monsters as they are supposed to. They will see you as people and want you both to live! Maybe they will sponsor you both. Let`s try it! I`ll go talk to Haymitch.

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_**Gale`s POV**_

Effie runs in and whispers something in Haymitch`s ear. He nods. Chisaki tentatively returns to the breakfast car.

" Listen up you two, I want you by each other`s side. Every single minute that you`re in public!" I start to argue but then he takes out another flask and takes a long swig. I stop.

"Good, tributes! Now go watch the from window while we enter the shining Capitol. Go on now!"

" Okay, we get it. Just... don`t treat us like bothersome kids who don`t know what we`re facing. `Kay Haymitch?" I say mockingly.

" Oh, but you don`t. You have no idea what you`re walking into. Watch that window like I said to and you`ll soon learn that you need me to treat you like children." I catch my first glimpse of the Capitol and find that Haymitch was right. I won`t admit it, though. I decide to listen to him.

"Isn`t it shiny?" declares Effie in wonder, even though she lives here. She is such a simpleton that I laugh.

" Sure, Effie. It sure is," I choke out. She, of course is appalled at my lack of manners. Therefore, she runs into the next car over, bawling her heart out. It looks just like last time, but this time, Chisaki stays at her place beside me. She is too shocked to move after what we have just seen through the window. What has made our lives so miserable in the past, and at the present, takes them from us. It is beautiful and hideous at the same time. It is the Capitol.

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R&R! The more reviews I get, the sooner I`ll update. I _live_ on reviews!


	6. Fire!

_**Authors note: **__**So, sorry I haven`t been updating lately but... ya. So this one`s short and sweet. Working on writing a new fan- fic. Not sure if I should discontinue that one... it isn`t published yet, but if anyone wanted to read some of it and tell me if it`s a lost case, let me know and I`ll pm you some of it. **__**Please remember to review! **__**Without further adu, chapter 6!**_

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My prep team holds me down as they lather me down with awfully stinky, gooey crap that looks like diarrhea. Well, that`s disgusting. What`s even more disgusting is that they`re lathering it all over my face.

"Good, now his face looks presentable", squeaked one of the ... things that were slathering goop on my face a minute ago.

" Yes, Yes. I do suppose that he doesn`t look _too_awful now. Alright, let`s move on. Come on, off with your shirt." sighed another. Now, I don`t mind taking my shirt off in front of Chisaki, and these things weren`t human so I wouldn`t care in the least to take it off for them, but did they have to be so demanding? No, they didn`t have to.

" What`s the magic word?" I asked them. I meant please. They all started guessing.

" Umm... pineapple!" shouted one.

" No, pie-eating gummy bears!" screeched another.

" Abra-kadabra!" yelled the third one. Face-palm.

" I was looking for `please`." I inform them as politely as I can manage remembering Effie`s lecture this morning about being polite to those who could affect our image. The young girl that has been watching the brightly colored woman who had asked me to take off my shirt slapped her knee and laughed.

" I`ll have to add that one to my list!" she laughed loudly and began snorting as she did. I wrinkled my nose in absolute disgust. These people make me sick.

I took off my shirt, trying not to think about how stupid and rude these people were. As I did, a woman walked into the room. Was she from the districts? She was so... plain and ordinary looking.

" Portia! We weren`t expecting you so soon! We aren`t done ye..." the girl started.

" He looks wonderful! I`m very happy with what you`ve done." She said, clearly dismissing them. " You can put your shirt back on now, hon." She said gently. She led me into a room with a table adorned with food.

" So, Gale. Are you afraid of fire, dear?" Portia asked me, dishing out some stew for herself. Odd question, but I guess these people are strange.

" No ,why?" I asked, bewildered. She smiled mischievously, giving me some stew also.

" Because you`ll need to be very brave to get the right... reaction from your costume." I must have looked confused because she elaborated. " Gale, I`m going to set you on fire." I dropped my stew.

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